Card handling machine



March.14,-1939. F. E. HAMILTON I 5 I CARD HANDLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1956 s Shets-Sheet 1 ow K .9 0 Q 1. n an 58 3w y I. Q 4 m mm m v N2 m the-V1 R v o .vm mm .2. e we #2 Mb, v 8

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March 14, 1939.

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March 14, 1939. F. E. HAMILTON 7 2,150,220

CARD HANDLING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. '14, 1936 ATTORNEY IINVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES CARD HANDLING MACHINE Francis E. Hamilton, Endicott, N.-Y., assiznor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 14, 1936, Serial No. uosza 9 Claims.

This invention relates to card ejecting mechanisms and particularly of the type which can selectively eject cards of two different classes.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a card ejecting mechanism which ejects each card into a common hopper and to provide an improved means to selectively eject certain cards out of the hopper into another hopper in the event that such card is no longer of interest after it has been utilized.

Machines have been designed and are in use for performing calculating operations of certain types. such as multiplying, and after being employed for such operations they are ejected out of the machine. In certain instances a. new master card is adapted to replace an old master card due to some change in the account during the period and for this reason it is desirable to selectively sort these old master cards by ejecting them from the hopper which receives all the cards into a special hopper which receives all the old master cards which are replaced by new master cards.

A further object of the invention is to provide a card controlling device by means of which the sensing of a special designation on a. card will cause the preceding card tobe ejected into the special hopper. By such means a hole specially provided in each new master card causes the preceding old master card to be ejected out of the first receiving hopper and into the special hopper for receiving the old master cards.

While the invention has been shown in connection with a machine which is adapted to effect calculating operations, it is obvious that the improved form of ejecting mechanism may be utilized in connection with other machines and whether or not the data thereon controls calculating or statistical operations. The improved mechanism may be employed in connection with card assorting or punching machines, or used as ejecting mechanisms for machines of various types, and the present invention should be considered as merely illustrative and not restrictive.

The present improvements have been shown in connection with a multiplying and card punch ing machine fully shown and described in the patent to G. F. Daly, #2,045,43'7, dated June 23, 1936 and only so much of the old machine that is necessary to understand the operation of the present improvements is illustrated and described herein. For further details of construction and operation of other parts recourse to said patent should be had.

Further and other objects of the present invention will be hereinafter set forth in the accompanying specification and claims and shown in the drawings, which by way of illustration show what is considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing in isometric relation the gearing for the card handling section of the machine which is adapted to drive the card feed, the contact roll, and for providing a creeping action for the pick up of the cards.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the card handling and reading section of the ma.- chine.

Fig. 3 comprises two electrical circuit diagrams showing the electrical connections for the machine.

Figs. 4 and 4a taken together and arranged horizontally in the order named show a somewhat diagrammatic view of the punching section of the machine and the details of the coordinated improved card ejecting mechanism.

Card feed and card handling unit drive Referring to Fig. 1 a constantly rotating shaft ary electromagnetic type used in tabulatlng machines and with this one revolution clutch engaged by the energization of it clutch magnet 384 the shaft 75 will rotate in unison with gear '33 and with the one revolution clutch disengaged gear 13 will continue its rotation and shaft 15 will remain stationary.

The energization of the magnet 384 which causes the engagement of the clutch is eifected by the start key of the machine and by a circuit connection which is fully described in the patent to G. F. Daly, #2,045,437, dated June 23, 1936.

The engagement of the clutch causes card feeding operations in a manner now to be described.

Gear 13 also drives an intermediate gear 19, which is rotatable with the gear 80; which drives a train of gears 8i and which in turn drive the card feed rolls 82 of the machine (see Fig. 2). Such card feed rolls 82 are constantly rotating feed rolls the same rotating at all times when gear ISis rotating. Also in train with gear 19 is a gear 99 (Fig. l) which gear constantly drives a drag roll shaft 04, having fixed thereon a pair of drag rolls (see Fig. 2).

As explained in the aforementioned patent, provision is made for providing a slight creep of the point of pick up of the card transfer and contact cylinder 81 upon successive cards, so that the sensing points on this contact cylinder shifts slightly from card to card. In this way an improved sensing action is secured and the cylinder is prevented from being pitted at the index points by the action of the brushes. In lieu of driving the card transfer contact cylinder directly from the shaft I5, as heretofore, a difierent driving arrangement is provided. As shown, the one revolution clutch element I6 is provided with two notches and the arrangement of this clutch is such that whenever the pawl I7 is engaged, the element 79 of the one revolution clutch will make one complete revolution. The one revolution clutch pawl I! can be engaged in either of the two notches of the clutch element I6, which relation of the clutch members is provided because after the machine has been started and is running on a run of cards one cycle is required to traverse the card and carry it past the sensing brushes and another cycle is required to deliver the card to the punching section of the machine.

To provide for a creep of the point of pick up of the card transfer and contact cylinder 91, the following drive is provided. Fixed to shaft 15 is a gear 89, which in turn drives a gear 88b mounted on the sleeve 88c, which isrotatable with a gear 88d. Gear BM in turn drives gear 09,which is fixed to the sleeve 99a revolubly mounted on shaft I5 but fixed to the card transfer and contact cylinder Bl. By referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that gears 88 and 89 have a slightly different diameter, and gears 88b and 88d also have a slightly different diameter. This slight difference in diameter provides for the slight creeping advance of card transfer and contact cylinder 87, as the card handling operations ensue and serves to prevent electrical contacts occurring at the same spot or spots on successive card cycles.

Gear 86 is fixed to shaft I5 and drives a gear 90. Fixed to the shaft of gear 90' are card feed rolls 94 (see Fig. 2) which are spring pressed into contact with card transfer and card contact cylinder 81. Similar spring pressed card feed rolls 95 (see Fig. 2 also cooperate with the transfer and contact roll 81 and such rollsare driven by the gear 96 in train with gear 86. Rolls 94 and 95 are preferably made of insulating material.

Card picker drive Shaft I5 (Fig. 1) has secured to ita box cam 91 with which a follower 98 cooperates. The follower rocks a rock shaft I02 carrying a. gear sector I03, which is in engagement with a picker block I04 (Fig. 2). lution clutch the picker is called into action to withdraw a single card from the magazine I05 (Fig. 2) placed therein with the printed face downwardly and advance this card into the bite of rolls 82. These rolls in turn forward the card to the card transfer and contact roll 81. Intermediate rolls 02 and the transfer cylinder 81 there is provided an advance or X brush sensing position. According to the present invention,

I one of such)! brushes may be provided at such position. show in Fig. 2, since the brushes are in alignment, one being back of the other. One X brush Upon engagement of the one revo- The multiplicity of brushes does notas shown at I08 cooperates with the combined contact and card guide plate I01. A curved card guide is provided around the transfer cylinder forward rotation of the transfer cylinder and by the. rotation rolls 94 to traverse the main card sensing brushes generally designated I09 in Fig. 2.

After the card has been sensed by the main sensing brushes I09, it is advanced between guiding members H4 and H5 by the cooperation of feed rolls 95 with cylinder 01. While between these members it is advanced by the drag rolls 85, which extend downwardly into recesses of the lower members II4, as shown in Fig. 2. This arrangement provides for the feeding of the card and the advance of the card after it has been released by the rolls 9.5 so that the card may be delivered into the tray of the punching section of the machine and now with the printed face upwardly. The drag rolls 05 deliver the card under the guiding member Ill and after the card has been freed from the drag rolls the card is flipped down into the tray of the punching section of the machine. The location of this tray is generally designated at H8 in Fig. 2 and the position of the card lnthis tray is indicated at R in Figs. 1 and 4a.

With the traverse of the card past the main sensing brushes I 09, the amount of the multiplier and multiplicand will have been read from the card and as explained in the aforesaid patent the amounts are then multiplied and the product entered into an accumulator.

The first complete card feed cycle upon starting up the machine will advance the first card to a position where the X (first index point position of the card) will be in alignment with the special X brush I00 in which position the card will be about ready to pass under the brushes I09. At the beginning of the second card feed cycle the card traverses the brushes I09 and the multiplier and multiplicand amounts are read from the card. The manner of effecting multiplication need not be described herein as it constitutes no part of the present invention and reference to the aforesaid Patent No. 2,045,437 should be made for a description thereof.

When the product is derived the machine is now ready to punch out the product back upon the card from which the factors which entered in the computation were derived and this is effected by the punching mechanism shown in Figs. 4 and 4a.-

The punching mechanism and its operation is fully shown and described in the aforesaid patent and will be only generally described herein in connection with Figs. 4 and 4a. The drive for tzhizpunching mechanism is by a separate motor The card is fed through the card handling section of the machine and ultimately it passes to the R position of the punch. Racks I8I and I82, in starting the machine are in the position shown in Fig. 4a and by the circuit connections now to be generally described but which are fully described in the aforementioned patent a magnet I94 is energized and current is supplied to the bunch driving motor Z--2.

The card is fed through the card handling section of the machine and as stated it ultimately passes to the R position in the punch, closing card lever contacts I20 and energizing relay coil F (Fig. 3), and causing the shifting of relay contacts F-I to reverse position from that shown. In starting up the machine, the punch racks are and the advancing card is carried around by the in extreme outer position, i. e. rack IOI is in its extreme right hand position and I82 is in its extreme left hand position (see Figs. 4 and 4a). Accordingly, contacts P-I are closed and contacts P--3, P-4 and P- are closed. With contacts P5 closed, relay coil K (Fig. 3) will be energized and relay contacts KI will be shifted to closed position. Upon the shifting of relay contacts F-I and upon the closure of cam contacts CC3, (comprising those identified by the designation in the aforementioned patent) a circuit will be established to the punch clutch control magnet I94. This circuit is completed to the other side 01 the line through the punch contacts P--3 now closed and contacts K-I, which are now in closed position. The energization of the punch clutch magnet I94 will attract its armature and as shown in Fig. 3 will cause the closure of contacts I91 which accordingly cause current supply, to be provided for the punch driving motor Z-2. The card which has been previously read and which is in the punching unit in the R pomtion, is now advanced endwise through the punch unit to a position in which punching is to commence.

Magnet I94 causes the engagement of a punch, drive clutch I95-I89 as explained in the patent, .thereby causing by the connections clearly described in the patent the shifting of the rack I8I to the left and the card carriage rack I82 to the right. This action through the card feed picker I99 will move the card from theR position to the R--I position and positioning the card over a card carriage and beneath the punches 2I9.

The rack I82 movable with the card carriage has associated with it a spring barrel 2I2, and an escapement mechanism 2I3 with a cooperating dog 2| 4.

During the punching operation the punches are selected according to the digits of the products and punching will continue until the complete product is read out and punched. When the punching is completed the card carriage rack I82 will escape to beyond the last column position and close contacts P--5 energizing a relay coil K (Fig. 3) shifting relay contacts K-I to establish a circuit to the eject magnet 232. The punched card will then be ejected from. the punch.

Card ejector Referring to Figs. 4 and 4a after the card has reached the R-I position and has been traversed past the punches and has been punched, it ultimately reaches a position at the extreme left hand of the punching section of the machine from which point it must be discharged into the discharge hopper. The card ejecting mechanism is shown in Fig. 4 with the parts shown in the position which they assumed before the machine was started into operation, or in the eject position. Upon the first card feeding operation through the punching section of the machine, rack I8I will have moved towards its extreme left position. After reaching the dash-dot line position shown in Fig. 4 rack I8I moves further to the left and thrusts a rack 224 to the left com pressing coil spring 225. Bearing against a shoulder on rack 224 is a contact operating part 226. When 22% is thrust to the left, contacts P--3 which were previously closed, will open under their own spring action. of 224 to the left will also allow a member 224a to rock and allow contacts Pl which were pre- The thrusting viously closed to open. The displacement of rack 224 to the extreme left position will, through intermediate gears 22'I, rock a shaft 228 in a clockwise direction to bring an ejector clip assemblage 229 away from the position shown in Fig. 4 to a position in'which the ejector clip can receive a card which has been advanced through the machine. With the ejector clip assemblage 229 disposed in such card receiving position the assemblage will be latched in such position by a latch 23L which latch is also fully described in British Patent No. 362,529 (see latch 2l6 of that patent in Fig. 16) The ejector clip latch is adapted to be released by an ejector clip magnet 232. Upon energization of the eject magnet 232 its armature will cause latch 23I to be released so that the ejector clip assemblage which has then grasped a card, swings from the card receiving position to the position shown in Fig. 4, in which position the jaws of the ejector are opened up so that a card can be discharged therefrom.

To prevent too violent ejecting movement of the ejector clip assemblage a dash pot means may be provided for slowing down the ejecting action. Such dash pot is shown at 233 in Fig. 4 and the piston rod 234 of this dash pot may be connected to a bracket extending from rack 224.

The cards are turned over in the ejecting operation with the printed face down thereby keeping them in the original order in which they were placed in the supply hopper shown in Fig. 2.

Selective separation of new and old master cards The present machine is adapted to effect multiplying operations of data on a series of master cards and due to the change in an account an old master card is sometimes replaced by a new master card, the new master card following an old master card in the sequence of multiplying operations.

It is desirable to selectively separate the old master cards since the data thereon is of no interest after a new master card has replaced it. To this end the machine is provided with two hoppers 250 and HI which are adapted to receive the new and old master cards, respectively.

Assuming that the first card fe d is an old master card the first cardfeed cycle feeds it into such a position that the X sensing brush determines whether there is a hole at the so-ca1led X position. A second card feed cycle thereupon resumes and the data on the old master card is read by the sensing brushes I09 while during this cycle the new master card is being fed to the X sensing brush and it finds a hole at the X position since the new master cards are so punched.

Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that gear 90 drives an idler pinion 9i which drives a gear 92 secured to cam contact making shaft 93. Shaft 93 has secured upon it a number of camsfor actuating the: FC group of cam contact devices of the machine. Such cams are so driven that they make one revolution per card feed cycle.

As the X hole reaches the X sensing brush I06 a circuit is set up as follows, referring to Fig. 3: from the left line side, contact blade ID'I, brush I06, contacts FCI5 which are closed when the hole is sensed, and an eject magnet 252 causing the energization of the latter.

Referring to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the underside of the rack 224 meshes with a pinion 253 secured to a shaft 254 to which there is'secured a bevel gear 255 in mesh with a bevel gear 256 attached to a shaft 258 on which is loosely mounted a sleeve 257. Attached to said sleeve 261 is a plurality of card ejection fingers 266 which are normally upward in the position shown.

When the magnet 252 is energized its armature 260 is attracted and a lug 26l thereof is disengaged from the free end of an arm 262 attached to the sleeve 261. A coil spring 263 surrounds the sleeve and one end thereof bears against a pin 264 attached to the arm 262 and said spring 263 is effective to rock the fingers 259 when the arm 262 is unlatched by the energization of the magnet 252.

The fingers 259 will thereupon be positioned in the receptacle 256 so as to receive-a card subsequently ejected by the ejector clip 229 and the fingers 259 will overlie other cards which may already be in the receptacle 266.

During the second card feed cycle the old master card has reached the tray of the punching machine and is at the R position. When the multiplying operation for the old master card is completed the card is punched and thereafter the card is ejected from the punching mechanism and upon the fingers 269 which remain in the hopper 250.

During the punching operation a third card feed cycle ensues and the data from the second or new master card is read and during this, or the third card feed cycle, the third card is fed. In the manner previously explained, when the multiplying operation under control of the new master card is completed and the card is conveyed to the punching carriage the rack iBI moves to the left and thrusts rack 224 in the same direction causing gear 253 and shaft 254 to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction. By means of the bevel gears 255-256 the shaft 256 will be rocked in a counterclockwise direction. The pin 264 by the previous unlatching of the arm 262 will rest over the upper edge of an arm 265 attached to the shaft 256 so that the rocking of the arm 265 will rock the arm 262 and the ejector fingers 259 flipping the old mastercard from the receptacle 250 to the receptacle 25l but with the printed face upward. This operation occurs during the time the ejector clip 229 is rocked to its latched position. Obviously the arm 262 will be relatched by the armature 260 of the magnet 252 at the same time.

When the rack l8l moves to the right the spring 225 will urge the rack 224 in the same direction and by the gear 253 and the connections previously described the shaft 258 will be rocked and arm 265 will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 4. The arm 265 carries a pin 266 against which one end of the coil spring 263 bears.

Obviously, the last card of a run must be either the succeeding card of a pair of master cards or an old master card not succeeded by a new "X" punched master card. With these conditions in mind, the last card of a run always goes into the hopper 250, because it is always either a new master card or an old master card not succeeded by a new one, both of which are required to go into the hopper 250. In the case of several old master cards succeeding each other, there would be no X hole punched in these cards and the stacker magnet 252 would not be energized and all of these cards would be stacked in the hopper 250, along with all the succeeding master cards which have been punched with an X hole.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made. by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a card receiving receptacle, means for depositing each card of a series into said receptacle, ejecting means selectively positionable in said receptacle for receiving cards deposited thereon -by said depositing means and for then ejecting said cards, means for positioning said ejecting means, means controlled by designations on the cards for causing the selective operation of the last named means, and means for operating the ejecting means for ejecting the card deposited thereon.

2. In a card handling machine, a pair of card receiving receptacles, means for ejecting each card of a series in one of said receptacles, means for analyzing control perforations of certain control cards in said series, and selectively operated means controlled by said analyzing means for causing the operation of means to eject a card preceding a control card out of said receptacle and physically move the control card into another receptacle and prior to the ejection of the controlcard into the first named receptacle.

3. In a card handling machine, a pair of card receiving receptacles, means for feeding cards singly from a stack of cards arranged in a predetermined order, means for ejecting each of said cards for similar stacking in one of said receptacles, means for turning certain of said cards over and out of said receptacle and into the other of said receptacles, and means for analyzing designations on said cards for controlling the operation of the last named means.

4. In a card handling machine, a pair of receptacles, means for feeding a series of cards one of which precedes a specially designated card, means for sensing the occurrence of the specially designated card, means for ejecting each card into one of said receptacles, and means controlled by said sensing means for causing means to be operable in response to the presence of a special designation on said specially designated card for removing the preceding card out of said receptacle and into the other of said receptacles.

5. In a card handling machine, a pair of receptacles, means for receiving a card in one receptacle, means for setting said means in said receptacle preliminary to ejecting a card into said receptacle, means for ejecting each card into the first-named receptacle, means for analyzing designations'on cards for causing the selective operation of the setting means, and means for moving the first-named means for removing a card from the first-named receptacle and into the other of said receptacles.

6. In a card handling machine, a pair of receptacles, a carriage for feeding record cards, a record card ejecting means for ejecting a record card on the carriage to one of said receptacles, means controlled by said carriage for causing the operation of said ejecting means for each record card, means for analyzing the record card for the presence or absence of a designation, and means controlled by said analyzing means for removing certain record cards from the receptacle into which they are initially ejected into the other of said receptacles.

7. In a card handling machine, a pair of receptacles, normally latched card receiving means, means for analyzing card perrforations and for causing the unlatehing of the card receivin means for positioning the latter in the first named receptacle upon the presence of a perforation in a card, a card ejecting means latched in a position to receive a card, means for unlatching said card ejecting means for ejecting each card in the first named receptacle, and common actuating means for moving the card receiving means to move a card received thereby into the other of said receptacles and for moving the ejecting means to its latched position.

8. In a card handling machine, a pair ot'card receiving receptacles, ans for feeding cards singly from a stack of cards, means for ejecting said cards into one of said receptacles, means positionable in said receptacle for receiving a card ejected therein; card controlled means for causing the last named means to be selectively positioned in said receptacle, and actuating means for causing the positionable means to remove the card into the other of said receptacles and concomitantly position said ejecting means to receive a following card.

9. In a card handling machine, a pair of receptacles, means for depositing each record card of a series into one of said receptacles, means for selectively receiving a record card in said receptacle and then ejecting it into the other of said receptacles, means for analyzing designations on said record cards, means controlled by a succeeding record card for positioning the ejecting means to receive a record card, and means for operating the ejecting means to eject such record card into the other receptacle.

FRANCIS E. HAMILTON. 

